The blog post you all have been anxiously waiting for is here! Throughout the year I am constantly sharing toy recommendations from my @purposefultoys instagram account. This list is where I compile my favorites from the year for you to not only use during your holiday shopping, but to have a source to refer to all year long during 2021! Keep in mind I also have an amazon store front that I am constantly adding and updating for you to check out now and throughout the year as well. I hope I can add a little more magic into your holiday shopping this year. Keep in mind not every item linked below is included in the photo above. If you have any questions you can always contact me on here or via instagram. Happy Holidays!
(PS, I know the alphabet is out of order, I am so sorry, especially to those OCD friends of mine haha. It bothers me so bad, but when I tried to rearrange them it deleted all of the links. Thanks for dealing with the craziness haha Happy Holidays!)
Infant/Toddler
Some of the basic infant/toddler toys that are great for development are stackers, shape sorters, sensory tubes, and blocks. Once your infant transitions into toddlerhood you want to add it more of sorting bowls and fine motor tools along with sensory activities. Here are a few of our favorites!
a) Simple Wooden Teether This is a basic beautiful and affordable teether for your little one!
b) Dena Collection We are obsessed with all things Dena and literally have all of their products! The silicone is platinum grade and can go into the dishwasher and the oven! Use code: purposefultoys for 10% off!
h) Marble Tree This marble tree is not only gorgeous, but music to your ears and a fun sensory experience for your child!
f) Infant Ball Run This little ball run was one of the first gifts we were given with our oldest and all of my babies have loved it! The balls are larger for those infants just barely working on grasping and releasing objects.
n) Ball Pit A ball pit is a must!
e) Sensory Tubes These sensory tubes are large and the perfect size for infants and toddlers to explore with constantly!
c) Large Silicone Rainbow Stacker Another Dena favorite! Comes in pastel and in neon colors. Use code: purposefultoys for 10% off!
Pastel Rainbow Stacker Everyone needs a good rainbow stacker and I’m loving the colors on this one!
i) Melissa and Doug Shape Sorter A basic toy that is a must! I love the different development opportunities this simple toy encourages.
Busy Book These busy books are cute and affordable! The perfect toy at home or on the go.
m) Pop It This has become a family favorite! All of my girls love it despite their varying ages of 2, 4 and 6.
Polk a Dot Farm Book Another fun book that doubles as a sensory activity.
l) Buckle Toys Buckle toys has a lot of options for your child to choose from to work those fine motor skills and buckle skills. My younger two carry their buckle toys around everywhere! It also makes the perfect travel toy.
g) Rocking Horse Everyone needs a good rocking horse in life, and this one is too cute.
j) Plan Toys Car This car is amazing! It is great for small children because the car is wider and usually lands on its wheels allowing the infant to successful push the car. (Available in different color options and natural.)
d) Plan Toys Keys available in different color options and natural.
k) Hape Xylophone, Shape Sorter, Piano We love this toy! It is a shape sorter, piano and xylophone in one! #genius
Hape Pound and Ball Bench and Xylophone Another xylophone that is genius by Hape. This one doubles as a pounding ball bench!
Sensory
Sensory is always a go to in our household! Sensory can be anything that enhances your senses; site, smell, touch, hear and taste. Below are a few of our favorite sensory items. If you want a more thorough sensory list check out our Sensory Table Must-Haves blog post.
Busy Board This etsy shop is so cool! Her handmade products are incredible developmental and we love them!
a) Busy Blanket The busy blanket is a favorite to take on the go.
k) Guidecraft LED Light Table Everyone needs a good light table and Guidecraft always has the most amazing products!
g) Sensory Shapes These shapes are fun to carry around and manipulate. My girls love watching the glitter flow. They throw them, step on them and use them on the light table.
h) Sensory Circles These sensory circles have fun textures for your child to explore!
c) Liquid Letters I was literally giddy when I opened up our package of liquid letters! They are so much fun! We throw them into our water table and use them on the light table.
d) Sensory Tubes Same sensory tubes as above, but we love them so much we had to list them under this category as well.
e) Rainbow Water beads If you have never used water beads you have to! The texture is amazing and my girls could play with them for days! You can find more sensory filler ideas on my “Sensory Table Must-Haves” blog post.
b) Ikea FLISAT table a DIY version found here.
i) Transluscent Stacking Pegs These come with pattern cards are so fun to use by themselves or by adding them to a light table!
j) Purposefultoys Kits These are my learning kits. I share extension activities on my instagram and new kits are released monthly! The next kit release is 12/10/2020.
f) Fruit and Veggie Stones We are obsessed with these stones! My girls are constantly using them in their “mud kitchen” outside. The shop linked here also has some fun animal stones to use in sensory as well!
Blocks
If I could collect one toy it would be blocks (well that and dolls/animal figures haha). Blocks are extremely developmental and open ended. They are the type of classic simple toy that is perfect for all ages, the kind of toy that is perfect for the entire family including mom and dad, and grandma and grandpa!
a) Bauspiel Color Street Blocks We just bought these for the girls for Christmas and I can’t wait to give it to them! They’re even more beautiful in person! Use code: purposefultoys10 for 10% off your purchase!
k) Bauspiel Lucent Cubes Use code: purposefultoys10 for 10% off your purchase!
d) Sumblox These blocks are not only an incredible learning resource, but they are fun for simple block play as well! You will also love the learning cards it comes with! We recently got ours, and I can’t wait to use them!
h) Melissa and Dough Standard Unit Set a great starter set if you need some basic wooden blocks at an affordable price!
i) Raduga Grez Sun Stacker A gorgeous stacker we always have out in our playroom. Use code: purposefultoys for 10% off!
f) Magnatiles Metropolis Set This set is huge! Its the perfect set to start out with if you’re just building your collection, or if you are wanting to get more magnetic blocks!
Picasso Tiles marble Run We love Picasso Tiles and we were so excited when we saw this marble set! The girls are getting this one for Christmas from Grandma and Grandpa.
Grimm’s Rainbow Stackers Can’t go wrong with an amazing Grimms Stacker.
b) Freckled Frog Emotion Blocks I am obsessed with these blocks! You can create the faces, and have conversations about emotions and feelings while playing! They’re so much fun!
Freckled Frog “My Family” Blocks These are also an incredible resource. I love that they are called “My Family” blocks. These blocks enhance diversity and inclusion by including people of different race and abilities. I loved watching my girls find themselves in the blocks and put together our own mixed race family!
Guide Craft Large “Notch Blocks” These blocks are huge!! Like create a giant fort of blocks huge! They have notches so they are more sturdy and your child can build something they can actually go in!
Translucent Building Bricks These bricks are so much fun! You can get messy with them in sensory or use them on a light table.
g) Large Foam Construction Blocks Okay how awesome are these! I need a million so we can use shaving cream and pretend we are laying bricks outside!
Legos 484 pc Starter Set If you haven’t gotten any legos yet, you need to! This is a great starting set.
Avdar Blocks Avdar blocks are gorgeous and the shapes in this set are so fun!
c) Rock Blocks These blocks definitely challenge your stacking abilities. The colors are so much fun!
e) Tegu Toys are magnetic wooden blocks. They are so much fun!
Grimms Sparkling Orient I’m just obsessed. That is all.
FOA Schwartz Castle Blocks We love our castle blocks we got last year at Christmas and think you will love them too!
j) Guidecraft Mirror Blocks I love these blocks! These are on our Christmas list!
Large Motor
Having large motor toys on hand is not only great for development, but these kind of toys meet your child’s physical needs during months of quarantine, bad weather etc. Having these toys within the home allows your child to get their large motor needs met regardless of whether or not you are able to leave the house.
Nugget Comfort We love our Nugget Comfort! We use it almost daily and its one of my girls favorite larger items we have in our playroom.
f) Wiwiurka Climber and Double Rocker Wiwiurka is an incredible company. I have been so impressed with every item we have received from them! it’s one that all of my girls love using despite their age differences! use code: purposefultoys10 for 10% off!
b) Wiwiurka Swing use code: purposefultoys10 for 10% off!
d) Balance Board This balance board is one of the cheapest I have found! So many open ended possibilities.
c) Stepping Stones My girls are all about finding rocks and paths to step on to avoid the hot lava! These stocks are perfect for indoor and outdoor play!
Trampoline We often get asked about our trampoline. Its not quite a mini size, but it isn’t super large either. Perfect for young children to be able to safely explore. (ours is a 10 foot)
g) Balance Bike I LOVE our balance bike! This balance bike can transition from three wheels to two. My four year old cruises on her balance bike and I think she’ll be able to go straight to a two wheeler.
a) Monkey Bars Climbing Tower This is a fun jungle gym to have right in your very own backyard!
e) Beginning Scooter This scooter is a fun beginning scooter and you can adjust the height to fit your child!
Razor Scooter A classic! That’s when you know it’s good! I had a Razor scooter growing up as a kid!
Large Motor
Having large motor toys on hand is not only great for development, but these kind of toys meet your child’s physical needs during months of quarantine, bad weather etc. Having these toys within the home allows your child to get their large motor needs met regardless of whether or not you are able to leave the house.
Nugget Comfort We love our Nugget Comfort! We use it almost daily and its one of my girls favorite larger items we have in our playroom.
f) Wiwiurka Climber and Double Rocker Wiwiurka is an incredible company. I have been so impressed with every item we have received from them! it’s one that all of my girls love using despite their age differences! use code: purposefultoys10 for 10% off!
b) Wiwiurka Swing use code: purposefultoys10 for 10% off!
d) Balance Board This balance board is one of the cheapest I have found! So many open ended possibilities.
c) Stepping Stones My girls are all about finding rocks and paths to step on to avoid the hot lava! These stocks are perfect for indoor and outdoor play!
Trampoline We often get asked about our trampoline. Its not quite a mini size, but it isn’t super large either. Perfect for young children to be able to safely explore. (ours is a 10 foot)
g) Balance Bike I LOVE our balance bike! This balance bike can transition from three wheels to two. My four year old cruises on her balance bike and I think she’ll be able to go straight to a two wheeler.
a) Monkey Bars Climbing Tower This is a fun jungle gym to have right in your very own backyard!
e) Beginning Scooter This scooter is a fun beginning scooter and you can adjust the height to fit your child!
Razor Scooter A classic! That’s when you know it’s good! I had a Razor scooter growing up as a kid!
Transportation
Cars tend to need their own section! We love playing with cars! They are something that I remember playing with for hours with my mom on my kitchen floor as a child. Her particular favorite was the pull back cars, and I’m excited to say we have some really good ones to share!
c) Candylab Cars We love our candylab cars! They are wooden, and so unique! use code: CANDYPURPOSE15 for 15% off your order! (limit one time use per customer)
BluTrack This car track I shared in my stories and everyone flipped! Its a huge flexible track for you to use on couches, down the stairs, over tables etc.! We could play with this one all day!
Hot Wheels with Mario Kart Rider I thought these little hot wheels with the Mario Kart riders inside were so cute! Perfect to pair with your Bluetrack for a race between riders!
WaytoPlay Roads The Way to Play roads are rubber and flexible. You can throw this car track into the swimming pool, sand pit, sensory bin etc.
a) Fagus Wooden Cars/Tractors These cars and tractors are big and really nice quality! One of these days I’ll get my hands on one!
b) Airplane with passengers Oh man this air plane and passenger set is so cute! We have the rocket, linked below and the airplane is on our list for another time! Use code: purposefultoys10 for 10% off your purchase!
Big Sandbox Digger I mean who doesn’t need this?!
d) Parking Garage We love this parking garage. Its currently only of my 2 year old’s favorite things!
e) Lakeshore Learning Rocket It’s so cute watching my 2 year old carry this rocket around every where! She is obsessed with it! (Use code: 6370 for 20% off one non-sale item (single use per customer).
f) Wooden Rocket with Astronaut Use code: purposefultoys10 for 10% off your purchase!
h) Grimms Cars Oh man these sell out fast, so they’re most likely out of stock, but sign up for restock alerts with this one! They’re so fun to add your peg dolls to!
g) Kikko and GG Pull Back Cars The best pull back cars ever!
Art & Crafts
If you have been following me for awhile now you know how important art is to me and my girls. Having art supplies frequently on hand for your child to be creative and express themselves is a must. Here are a few of our favorite art supplies.
c) My B Toys Pop Beads Reusable beads that aren’t super tiny? Yes please.
h) Paint By Sticker Such a fun spin on color by number!
i) Kid Made Modern We love Kid Made Modern products! You honestly can’t go wrong!
j) Modern Cloth Co. I’m not sure if it’s still active, but try code Rylee10 on this one! Fun fact: I designed the dino cloth and the limited edition emotion cloth.
a) Tape Everyone needs some fun colored tape to explore some art projects with!
b) Personalized Crayon Name How fun is this! The perfect personalized gift to add to a stocking!
d) Fuse Beads I LOVED creating my own pictures with these melty beads when I was a kid and watching my child explore with them brings it all back!
e) No Spill Paint Cups Our favorite paint cups! Use code: 6370 for 20% off one non-sale item on their site! (limit one time use per customer).
Reusable Jewelry I love that the strings on these jewelry sets are reusable! We create necklaces, take them apart and tuck them away for when we want to create again!
f) Artkive Mosaic I am working on creating a master piece with my daughter’s art and I am so excited! This site will either put your children’s art into a book for you or into a beautiful framed Mosaic. Use code: PURPOSEFUL20 for 20% off your order!
g) Silky Soft Play Dough from Yaya Eco Dough is the softest dough I have ever felt!
Learning Resources
I kind of hate having a section with this heading because basically every open ended toy I am sharing is a learning resource haha, but to help organize the list here are some toys more aimed towards specific learning milestones and topics.
Life Cycle Nesting Puzzle This nesting puzzle is so fun! It’s chunky so the pieces can stand up on their own for a lesson, or simply be used as a nesting puzzle to see the life cycle of organisms.
Life Cycle Toys from Safari Ltd Speaking of life cycle, we also love the life cycle toys from Safari! Use code purposefultoys for 15% off your purchase!
Resin Letters and Numbers We have built up quite the collection of resin numbers and letters and love them all! I love seeing how each creator takes on a different style. The ones shown in the photo above are from Colling Wood Creative.
Wooden Letters We love Maple and Lark’s light and dark wooden letters!
Felt Letters and Numbers These ones are so much fun and have a different texture than the wooden letters which allows us to switch up our activities and get creative.
Melissa and Doug Add & Subtract Abascus How cool is this Abascus! It’s the perfect visual for adding and subtracting!
Wooden Number and Letter Construction This cheap wooden letter construction comes with some pattern cards and it was so fun for my four year old to create the letters that we randomly picked!
Wooden Shape Pattern Blocks and Cards Everyone needs some good shape blocks and pattern cards in their life! My girls love playing with these for a long period of time which is a mom win in my book. (Use code: 6370 for 20% off one non-sale item (single use per customer). Pop for Sight Words
Magnetic Human Body Puzzle How cool is this magnetic puzzle! Your child will be an anatomy expert before they even know what the word anatomy is!
Mathlink Cubes These mathlink cubes are so nice to have on hand! We pull them out all the time when working through math projects together to not only have a visual resource, but a tangible resource!
Number Trays We use these number trays all the time! Stay tuned for the next restock!
Sumblox I mentioned these in the block section, but they are worth mentioning again! I love that you can build to add the sum together! these are incredible!
Games
Family games and learning rules and strategies is a great way to build relationships and teach your children important skills. I will add a few on here, but make sure to check out my Amazon store for a more thorough game list. The picture above are some story dice we created by adding a person, place, thing and verb to roll and tell a story! This is a fun one to whip out at dinner time to have each member of their family take turns telling a story. You can find some wooden dice here to create your own!
Uno classic.. enough said.
Tenzi So many fun counting opportunities. There are Tenzi cards available for extended learning and play!
Candyland The perfect first board game for 2.5-3 year olds. (Beware though, this takes a patient mood on the parent’s end haha)
Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game This is a gun game about counting and colors!
Battleship Everyone needs a classic game of battleship. One of my favorite games I played with my siblings growing up.
Sequence This is for a little older children. Around 8+, but is basically a large game of tic tac tow using two decks of cards.
Play Nine This is also a fun starting game to help begin with some more complex strategies while keeping the game simple.
Tiny Polka Dot My Sister in-law brought this game over and all of my kids loved it! There are a million extension activities (barely an exaggeration), to fit the need of your child.
Heads Talk Tails Walk This one is just fun. You have to pick a card to get the “head” of the animal and pick another card for the “tail” of the animal. Whatever head you get you have to say the noise that animal makes and whatever tail you get you have to move like that animals. There’s some pretty crazy combos and my kids thought it was hilarious!
The Ladybug Game This is a fun simple beginning game for 3+
Zingo Think BINGO, but faster!
I Spy Memory Game How fun is this?! We love I Spy and these cards are so much fun!
Thanks for sticking around! I hope you enjoyed this years 2020 Christmas Toy List. It’s been a crazy year, I hope this Christmas is magical for you! Happy Holidays!
